Puddling Butterflies

-
Can you name these three species of butterflies? - Click on picture to enlarge
I was out on the ATV in the forest when I saw these butterflies "puddling" along the trail.  They were gathered on a pile of raccoon dung, (poop to your non-WOLF friends).

WOLF Spider Dream Catcher - Click to enlarge
Puddling or mud-puddling behavior is seen in butterflies and some moths.  It is a way for them to collect minerals such as salt similar to what sweat bees do landing on our skin in summer.  Some species will do this on animal dung, presumably collecting ammonium.

These gatherings are predominately male as they collect sodium and amino acids which they then transfer to the female during mating which provides nutrition to her eggs. 

Now here is the Butterfly Contest:
See if you can identify the three species of butterflies in the picture above.  You can start by clicking on this MDC Field Guide link.   Hint:  Be sure to look at the underside of the wings in the field guide.

 "Make sure to turn in your answers on WOLF Classroom."  We will have a drawing of all the WOLFs who correctly identified all three butterflies.  The winner will get the WOLF Spider Dream Catcher above.
=============
Here is a link that shows you how to make a butterfly puddle garden in your yard.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mockingbird Song

-
Image
Northern mockingbird - from Wikipedia Our mockingbird We have a northern mockingbird that is hanging around our house, singing continuously for 3 to 8 minutes at a time.  It seldom pauses to take a breath and its song, really a wide variety of songs, is constantly changing.  The video is fuzzy as I used my cell phone and it was high up in the tree. Listen to his performance here. Male mockingbirds are the singers and they are famous for learning and repeating the songs of other birds.  Then they show off by singing all their melodies strung together in a row.  Bird scientists (called ornithologists) think they sing like this to impress the females for mating and to warn other male mockingbirds that this is their territory.  Older males have learned more songs and that may impress the females just like a buck with a big antler rack impresses a doe. They not only learn the songs of other birds but will also remember other sounds and include them in their performances.  Two
Read more

How to Watch a Bird

-
Image
Scarlet Tananger Next time you are outside, think about birds for a minute.  Here are some suggestion from a bird expert, David Sibley.  Look for birds.  Watch for movement first.  Scan edges along yards, shrubs and high up in the tree tops.  Where are they going? Look at the bill.  The shape can tell you what they eat.  (Remember pick a beak with pliers and tweezers?) Listen to their songs.  This will help you spot them and soon you may be able to identify one by its song. Think about what it is doing.  Flying back and forth with something in its mouth usually means nest building.  Flying repeatedly to a bush or patch of ground may mean it is collecting insects for their young. Draw, write notes and take pictures.  Now try to identify a bird.  You don't have to have binoculars although they help.  If you have them, continue to stare at the bird as you bring the binoculars up to your eyes. This fall, put up a bird feeder.  Now the birds will come to you! A good resour
Read more